* 1664 – Arvid Horn, Swedish statesman ( d. 1742 )

* 1742 – Nathanael Greene, American general ( d. 1786 )

* 1742 – George Frideric Handel's oratorio Messiah makes its world-premiere in Dublin, Ireland.

* 1720 – 1742 Edmond Halley

* 1742 – 1762 James Bradley

* Principality of Anhalt-Dornburg: 1667 – 1742

* 1673 – Wilhelmina Amalia of Brunswick, Holy Roman Empire Empress ( d. 1742 )

* Pope Pius VII ( 1742 – 1823, r. 1800 – 23 )

* 1742 – Gebhard Fürst Blücher von Wahlstatt, German Field Marshal ( d. 1819 )

* 1709 – Louise Élisabeth d ' Orléans, queen consort of Spain ( d. 1742 )

* 1660 – Friedrich Hoffmann, German physician and chemist ( d. 1742 )

La Fontaine's model was subsequently emulated by England's John Gay ( 1685 – 1732 ); Poland's Ignacy Krasicki ( 1735 – 1801 ); Italy's Lorenzo Pignotti ( 1739 – 1812 ) and Giovanni Gherardo de Rossi ( 1754 – 1827 ); Serbia's Dositej Obradović ( 1742 – 1811 ); Spain's Félix María de Samaniego ( 1745 – 1801 ) and Tomás de Iriarte y Oropesa ( 1750 – 1791 ); France's Jean-Pierre Claris de Florian ( 1755 – 94 ); and Russia's Ivan Krylov ( 1769 – 1844 ).

* Dositej Obradović ( Serbian, 1742 – 1811 )

Henry Dundas ( 1742 – 1811 ) dominated political affairs in the latter part of the century.

Middleton's son, Arthur ( 1742 – 1787 ) would also get involved in politics, succeeding his father as a delegate to the Second Continental Congress in 1776, after his resignation, and, later on, sign the Declaration of Independence.

* Spencer Compton, 1st Earl of Wilmington, British Prime Minister, 1742 – 1743, who gave his name to many of the places called Wilmington.

* Spencer Compton, 1st Earl of Wilmington ( 31 December 1730 – 13 February 1742 )

* Colonel Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough, 1742 – 1744

Spencer Compton, 1st Earl of Wilmington, Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1742 to 1743, was the third son of the third Earl.

It was created in 1730 for the politician Spencer Compton, 1st Baron Wilmington, who later served as Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1742 to 1743, during the reign of George II.

He was elected to the provincial assembly in 1742, and in 1755 was appointed provincial secretary by Acting Governor Spencer Phips.

Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford, KG, KB, PC ( 26 August 1676 – 18 March 1745 ), known before 1742 as Sir Robert Walpole, was a British statesman who is generally regarded as the first Prime Minister of Great Britain.

As part of his resignation the King agreed to elevate him to the House of Lords as the Earl of Orford and this occurred on 6 February 1742.

The Earl of Orford, KG, KB, PC ( 1742 – 1745 )

The British force of 16, 000 men under John Dalrymple, 2nd Earl of Stair had landed at Ostend in the Austrian Netherlands on 10 July 1742.

* Edmund Boyle, 7th Earl of Cork and 7th Earl of Orrery ( 1742 – 1798 )

* William Stanhope, 1st Earl of Harrington ( 13 February 1742 – 3 January 1745 )

* Edmund Boyle, 7th Earl of Cork ( 1742 – 1798 ), Irish peer

William Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath, PC ( 22 March 1684 – 7 July 1764 ) was an English politician, a Whig, created the first Earl of Bath in 1742 by King George II ; he is sometimes stated to have been Prime Minister, for the shortest term ever ( two days ), though most modern sources reckon that he cannot be considered to have held the office.

" On 14 July 1742 Pulteney was created Baron Pulteney of Heydon, Viscount Pulteney of Wrington, Somerset, and Earl of Bath.

* George Henry Lee, 2nd Earl of Lichfield ( 1690 – 1742 )

In 1742, however, the government of Sir Robert Walpole fell, and Murray's brother-in-law, the Earl of Nottingham, became First Lord of the Admiralty in the new Cabinet.

Wills Hill, 1st Marquess of Downshire PC ( 30 May 1718 – 7 October 1793 ), known as the Viscount Hillsborough from 1742 to 1751 and as the Earl of Hillsborough from 1751 to 1789, was a British politician of the Georgian era.

Although the latter had his way Harrington remained secretary until the great minister's fall in 1742, when he was transferred to the office of Lord President of the Council and was created Earl of Harrington ( Northamptonshire ) and Viscount Petersham ( Surrey ).

He was later, in 1703, made Viscount of Fermanagh and his grandson was, in 1742, created an Earl.

* William Courtenay, 8th Earl of Devon, 2nd Viscount Courtenay ( 30 October 1742 – 14 October 1788 )

* Charles Hope, 1st Earl of Hopetoun ( 1681 – 1742 )

* James Waldegrave, 2nd Baron Waldegrave ( 1684 – 1742 ) ( created Earl Waldegrave in 1729 )

* John Wallop, 2nd Earl of Portsmouth ( 1742 – 1797 )

He held office under his father-in-law Sir Robert Walpole as a Lord of the Admiralty from 1727 to 1729, as a Lord of the Treasury from 1735 to 1736 and as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster from 1736 to 1743 ( from 1742 to 1743 under the premiership of the The Earl of Wilmington.

McKinly was born in Ulster, Ireland and immigrated to Wilmington, Delaware in 1742.